Abstract: Described herein are fluid-flow control devices for transferring a fluid from a place to another and/or controlling a fluid flow. In some embodiments, fluid-flow control devices described herein can be used as pumping devices to transfer a fluid by peristaltic motion and/or as valve devices to control fluid flow for various applications, e.g., in a microfluidic platform.

Abstract: In a method for interactive marking by a mobile robot on a vertical surface, a mobile robot that includes a sensor and an actuated marker is displaced across a vertical surface. Features on, in or behind the vertical surface are detected with the sensor. Displacement of the mobile robot and actuation of the actuated marker is controlled in response to the detection of these features.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are organ chips that can be individually used or integrated together to form different microphysiological systems, e.g., for use in cell culturing, drug screening, toxicity assays, personalized therapeutic treatment, scaffolding in tissue repair and/or replacement, and/or pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamics studies.

Methods and apparatus for sample temperature control in NMR spectrometers U.S. Patent 10,094,892 (October 9, 2018)

Sebastian Hiller and Gerhard Wagner

Abstract: Described are methods and apparatus, referred to as "temperature-lock," which can control and stabilize the sample temperature in an NMR spectrometer, in some instances with a precision and an accuracy of below about 0.1 K. In conventional setups, sample heating caused by experiments with high-power radio frequency pulses is not readily detected and is corrected by a cumbersome manual procedure. In contrast, the temperature-lock disclosed herein automatically maintains the sample at the same reference temperature over the course of different NMR experiments. The temperature-lock can work by continuous or non-continuous measurement of the resonance frequency of a suitable temperature-lock nucleus and simultaneous adaptation of a temperature control signal to stabilize the sample at a reference temperature value. Inter-scan periods with variable length can be used to maintain the sample at thermal equilibrium over the full length of an experiment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the alignment of moieties (e.g., nanoparticles and/or nanowires) into prescribed architectures on two- and/or three-dimensional substrates (e.g., nucleic acid nanostructures/crystals). The present disclosure also relates to a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) lithography method that includes, in some embodiments, adsorbing a bare nucleic acid nanostructure onto a surface of a substrate, and etching the surface of the substrate containing the bare nucleic acid nanostructure, thereby producing a patterned substrate.

Mutant Cas9 proteins U.S. Patent 10,100,291 (October 16, 2018)

Alejandro Chavez, Frank Poelwijk, and George M. Church

Abstract: Methods of making deletion mutants of Cas9 proteins and making chimeric Cas9 proteins are described. The Cas9 N- and C-terminal domains may play critical roles in crRNAitracrRNA binding and/or PAM selectivity. To analyze activity, a series of domain exchange mutants between NM and STI (Streptococcus thermophilus Cas9) were made, replacing the N and/or C terminus of NM (Neisseria meningitides Cas9) with the homologous region from STI. The chimeric proteins were then tested using the transcriptional reporter assay described herein altering the guideRNA and/or Cas9 specific PAM within the reporter to determine the influence of the domain exchanges on protein specificity. None of the N-terminal domain swaps between NM and STI endowed NM with novel properties. The C-terminal exchange generated a NM-STI hybrid that was capable of interacting with the STI crRNAitracrRNA complex and was further able to suppress a reporter with a STI specific PAM.

Abstract: Methods and systems for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra of samples having unresolved peaks are described. The methods and systems allow for the creation nuclear spin singlet states in nearly-equivalent spin pairs, for example, using continuous spin-locking with a nutation frequency matched to the coupling strength between spins. The invention relates generally to the field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can be used as a tool for determining the chemical structure and/or geometry of a molecule in a sample. In many samples, however, resonance frequencies of different nuclei fully or partially overlap, which makes chemical identification of molecule(s) in a sample difficult or impossible.

Abstract: A light-intensity-based forced sensor comprises a Sarrus linkage, a biasing mechanism, a light emitter, and a light detector includes a first plate, a second plate, and at least one collapsible linkage pivotably coupled to both the first and the second plates. The biasing mechanism biases the collapsible linkage toward an extended configuration. The light emitter is coupled with and displaceable with the first plate; and the light detector is coupled with and displaceable with the second plate and configured to receive light emitted from the light emitter and generate an electrical signal in response to light received from the light emitter, wherein the generated electrical signal provides an indication of the distance between the first plate and the second plate. The sensor can be distally mounted on, e.g., an endoscope to provide haptic feedback at the distal end of the endoscope.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods that are useful for inducing the development of regulatory T cells (Treg). Such compositions and methods are useful for treating inflammatory conditions and in particular inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract of a subject. In certain embodiments, the present inventions generally relate to short chain fatty acids and the discovery that such short chain fatty acids may be used to treat and/or prevent inflammatory conditions by enhancing the size and immune function of a subject's endogenous Treg population.

Abstract: The disclosure provides adenosine deaminases that are capable of deaminating adenosine in DNA. The disclosure also provides fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 (e.g., a Cas9 nickase) domain and adenosine deaminases that deaminate adenosine in DNA. In some embodiments, the fusion proteins further comprise a nuclear localization sequence (NLS), and/or an inhibitor of base repair, such as, a nuclease dead inosine specific nuclease (dISN).

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting overstride in runners include measuring, using an inertial measurement unit affixed to a shank of a person, an acceleration and an angle of the shank during a stride, monitoring, using a microprocessor, the shank acceleration measurements to detect an acceleration profile indicative of the corresponding foot making initial contact with the ground during the stride, determining, using the microprocessor, the corresponding shank angle at initial contact from the shank angle measurements, comparing, using the microprocessor, the shank angle at initial contact to a threshold shank angle, and identifying, using the microprocessor, an overstride of the corresponding leg if the shank angle at initial contact exceeds the threshold shank angle.